Penn State Capped Spring Practice at the Blue-White Game. Here's What We Learned
The Nittany Lions didn't reveal much during their spring game. But we picked up a few insights.
After the Blue-White Game on Saturday, Penn State football coach James Franklin grabbed a sousaphone for a photo opportunity with members of the Blue Band. He smiled wide and looked to be having fun but knew better than to get too technical. Sort of like the game he just coached.
The Nittany Lions smiled wide and looked to be having fun during the annual spring scrimmage at Beaver Stadium but didn’t get too technical with their game. As receiver Kaden Saunders said, Penn State showed maybe 5 percent of the offense it hopes to turn loose in the season-opener at West Virginia. This was show more than game, yet fans still could piece together some conclusions about the direction of Penn State football from their 100 minutes at Beaver Stadium.
So here’s a look at what we saw, what we didn’t see, and where Penn State’s headed after the 2024 Blue-White Game.
First, who we didn’t see
A bunch of returning and projected starters weren’t in uniform for the game. Some were more notable than others. Receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith’s absence, and Franklin’s deflected answer after the game, suggest both parties have agreed to move on. Lambert-Smith was Penn State’s most experienced returning receiver (with 37 career starts and a team-high 53 catches last season) but disappeared late last season, coinciding with offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich’s departure. Lambert-Smith’s portal announcement seems forthcoming.
Elsewhere on offense, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen didn’t play after sustaining “bumps and bruises” to differing degrees. Allen’s spring injury sounded more of an issue (though not a long-term issue, Franklin said), and both backs ceded the spring game to the young backs. And the starting offensive line was impossible to gauge, as four potential starters (tackles Drew Shelton and Anthony Donkoh and guards Sal Wormley and JB Nelson) sat out, with Shelton out for all of spring drills. Tight end Tyler Warren ceded his spring-game routes to young teammates as well.
Defensively, tackles Coziah Izzard and Hakeem Beamon were given the day off, while starting safety KJ Winston was not in uniform. Neither was redshirt sophomore linebacker Keon Wylie.
What we didn’t see
Andy Kotelnicki kept his offense in the office. The Lions showed none of those motions, shifts and formations which quarterback Drew Allar has been so enthralled. After last year’s dull stretches on offense, and the promise with which Kotelnicki arrived, Penn State had a chance to generate some electricity with a little offensive unveil. Not surprising that Franklin would go in his usual direction, though, and keep things plain.
And inside that “vanilla” offensive look, as Allar termed it, the quarterback didn’t throw a pass to new receiver Julian Fleming. The two were on opposite rosters, and Fleming caught one pass for five yards from Beau Priubula. Fleming has won praise for making an off-field impact, but can he stand out on the field next season?
RELATED: Running back Quinton Martin Jr. made a strong first impression at the Blue-White Game
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar drops back to pass during the Blue-White game at Beaver Stadium.
Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK
What stood out during the Blue-White Game
Allar didn’t paint Beaver Stadium with brilliant numbers (15-for-32, 202 yards) but he threw the ball quite well in windy conditions. In particular, Allar threw a pair of undervalued passes on end-zone fades, one of which wasn’t caught and another that was well-defended. Allar also sounded more confident, declaring his command and comfort with the offense.
“This offense is a really good fit for not only me,” Allar said. “We’re going to run stuff the receivers like, the quarterbacks like, the tight ends like, the running backs like.”
Pribula played with both rosters but still seemed to be a package player. He had a couple nice runs, one for 17 yards, but didn’t advance the passing game much. True freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer demonstrated a quick release on some throws and will look to season that over the summer.
Receiver Harrison Wallace III, who made just 15 catches in seven games last season before returning from injury in the Peach Bowl, was pretty dynamic. He caught five passes for 72 yards, was targeted seven times, and appeared to be Allar’s favorite.
Former Penn State defensive end Chop Robinson was renowned for his crazy quick first step off the line. His replacement, Abdul Carter, might be even faster. Carter leaped into a few backfields untouched (albeit against depth-chart tackles and static snap counts), and teammate Amin Vanover compared Carter’s get-off quite favorably to Robinson’s.
Speaking of Vanover, Franklin went out of his way to praise the defensive end for his production this spring. Vanover is a senior at a high-value position in Penn State’s defense. A big year could launch Vanover’s career arc like Adisa Isaac last season. Elsewhere at defensive end, it was good to see Smith Vilbert back on the field after missing the 2023 season.
Penn State really likes freshman lineman Cooper Cousins. He started at right guard (in Wormley's absence) and played some center behind projected starter Nick Dawkins. Franklin rarely gives freshmen offensive linemen the green light (unless necessary) but Cousins quickly has made a play for playing time.
The Nittany Lions have some promising tight ends, notably Andrew Rappleyea. The 6-4 redshirt freshman was targeted eight times, caught three passes (one for a touchdown) and looked comfortable in Warren's absence.
Redshirt freshman kicker Ryan Barker took all five kickoffs (Penn State didn’t play special teams) and both field-goal attempts, including one in a designed 2-minute drill. He appears to have the lead over returning kicker Sander Sahaydak and Tulsa transfer Chase Meyer.
What’s the true takeaway of the Blue-White Game? Consider this sequence in the second half. Walk-on cornerback Kolin Dinkins intercepted Pribula in the second half, taking it to the end zone for a pick-6. However, Franklin quickly Pribula as down, having been “sacked” by redshirt freshman linebacker Winston Yates. Two plays later, running back Quinton Martin Jr. scored on a 12-yard touchdown run.
AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.
